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Humber Heavy Utility


AmphibAndy

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  • 1 month later...
Not sure how this system works yet as I have just joined - I have a few Humber bits and pieces to get rid of - How far is Andrew with his rebuild of the Humber as I have original timber frame pieces, such as the centre and rear door posts, left over from my 9 year restoration - I had new ash components machined from them. I also have a few mechanical parts left

 

MPH

 

MPH,

 

Can you please itemise all the "Humber bits and pieces (you wish) to get rid of" ?!

 

Photos would also be helpful - of the bits and pieces, and the result of your “9 year restoration” :-)

 

RCT(V)

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I would of course be interested in the bits you refer to , and I now need a Radiator as some bar steward has helped himself to the rad from my fathers home whilst he was in hospital. Nice chaps. anyway, please let me know what you have, and if anyone sees a Humber radiator before it goes in the pot please let me know.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi All,

 

I have just joined the forum but have been following AmphibAndy's adventure for a while. What a job ahead!

 

I've been slowly restoring a Heavy utility for some years now. There are a couple of shots of it in my introduction thread.

 

I have a New Zealand friend residing in Oz who has one with practically no body, so look on the bright side!

 

I was interested in the radio vehicle info, as mine has a transfer case with a rear output at the top. The shaft only protrudes about half an inch with a female thread. All the tin around the transfer case in intact but the gearbox cover has an extra slot cut in at the base as if for a small lever or something.

 

The front end ended up like this as the main spring leaf was broken, boy that exposed some hidden rot! I have committed a sacrilege by putting the 12 inch brakes off my LRC Mk3a chassis. How could I ever go back.

When I started cleaning brackets I didn't think it would look like this, and there were more!

 

Maybe a group therapy session with some woodwork practice thrown in!

 

regards,

 

Andrew Browne

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100_5790  july 2010.jpg

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Hi Jules

 

your Personnel looks great as well. You may be slightly more advanced as I'm labouring through a minefield of woodwork. I had a retired chippy do most of my woodwork some years ago and it looked great but I'm having "fun" getting it all to line up the way I would like.

Mind you I would never have got as far myself. I just have to think of the finished product! I reproduced the pieces above and around the windscreens, the main piece is unbelievably complicated, nothing parallel, tapered in two planes, it took me ages with only portable tools. And then making sure it all fits. Screens that open, door frames with odd angles and curves. If only it looked as straight forward as your personnel cab!

Here's a couple of photos, when I 1st got the Humber, and starting to line up timberwork. Maybe this will inspire AmphibAndy!

 

regards

 

Andrew

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Wow!! I am not alone, there are more of us. What great work you are all doing, well done.

 

I have had a set back in that someone has stolen the radiator from private property, outside my fathers house where it was being stored. It has really upset us, we have enough of a task on our hands not to have to contend with losing one of the best bits!

 

I still think or wish that we could all get together and have a set of body timbers and brackets made in quantity. Whilst , what little I know about coach building tells me that they are all bespoke, I am sure they basic set up is common, with just the need for individual fitting.

 

I confess to having been busy on another project, which has taken my time , but I will get on with this again, particularly if someone can get me my radiator back, although I suspect its in the melting pot by now.

 

Andrew, your chassis and front end is an inspiration. well done

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AmphibAndy,

 

That's a pretty low act regarding your radiator. I wish I was able to help.

 

It would be a small fortune to get one built from scratch, I had mine re-cored and it cost me A$1400! I just closed my eyes and handed over the credit card. They're probably almost in the truck class.

When we were taking my bodywork apart (those bit that were still together) we found holes redrilled, bits of fibreboard used as packing, a couple of notches where there was nothing attached etc.

When I took the tailgate apart I made an interesting discovery, a bit of a time capsule. My Humber was rebuilt in May 1955 by MTRS no.B269 according to the rebuild plate (screwed onto the kickboard inside LH front door) and the blokes doing the job had put their names inside the sheetmetal. There was a repair on the tailgate. Done by Payne & Flook ? at Henleys (pictures attached) I wonder if Henleys (where ever they were) still exists along with the workers.

 

good luck with your projects.

 

Andrew

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100_6582 inside tailgate panel.jpg

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Hi Andrew

 

My own Humber box was also rebuilt in 1955 by Henleys, maybe they did a batch of them. I always thought it a bit of a waste really since mine was sold off in yorkshire 2 years later.. They hardly got their moneys worth from the repair / rebuild.

 

kind regards

 

nick

 

AmphibAndy,

 

That's a pretty low act regarding your radiator. I wish I was able to help.

 

It would be a small fortune to get one built from scratch, I had mine re-cored and it cost me A$1400! I just closed my eyes and handed over the credit card. They're probably almost in the truck class.

When we were taking my bodywork apart (those bit that were still together) we found holes redrilled, bits of fibreboard used as packing, a couple of notches where there was nothing attached etc.

When I took the tailgate apart I made an interesting discovery, a bit of a time capsule. My Humber was rebuilt in May 1955 by MTRS no.B269 according to the rebuild plate (screwed onto the kickboard inside LH front door) and the blokes doing the job had put their names inside the sheetmetal. There was a repair on the tailgate. Done by Payne & Flook ? at Henleys (pictures attached) I wonder if Henleys (where ever they were) still exists along with the workers.

 

good luck with your projects.

 

Andrew

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  • 2 years later...

whats in here then?

 

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no not another one!

 

photo1-13.jpg

 

its been there since about 1974 and was very reluctant to come out. Its the sister car to the other Humber I bought but it has taken me 3 years to negotiate its purchase. Originally it was owned by an eccentric Don from Cambridge University who bought both HHUs from a dealer in Cambridge. Eventually this was robbed of a few parts to keep the other one alive, but ended up being the better of the two in my view.

 

As my father is cracking on with the other I now have to decide whether to take this on or not.

Anyway, I know we all like a barn find . This really is a find!

 

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Its been desert coloured all over and then khaki on top. Does anyone know what the chassis number of HHUs started at? this one is 8650513

 

looking at my parts book it refers to an example chassis number being 8650501. Not sure if that's the starting number but if so this would make this vehicle number 12?

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Hi Andrew

 

What great pictures and fabulous find! I hope those forks didn't puncture the fuel tank?

 

I have a few numbers taken from various parts lists, manuals and of course Alex's fine list. I've posted what I have here and would be very keen to see some of the gaps filled in if there is any more information out there? For instance how many vehicles were produced in some of these earlier and indeed later contracts? I do note though that you have a windscreen on this Humber with square and not rounded corners, I had taken this to be a feature of earlier vehicles. Are you sure your number is 8650501? and not 845 or 855 ? Just a thought.

 

regards

Nick

 

Humber Box Contract and chassis numbers Taken from Parts List H156 January 1944

S.239 8451004 – 8452476 (845 serials mid 1942 onwards)

S.538 8550001 – 8551000 (855 serials late 1942 onwards)

S.2885 8451001 – 8451002

S.2963 8451003

S.3628 8452707 - 8452708

S.4024 8452607 – 8452706

 

Other applicable Nos

8452709 – 8452720

8452477 – 8452485

 

Later contracts appear to be:

S7122 (865 serials dated mid 1944)

S9323 (865 serials dated early 1945)

S10432 (865 serials dated 1947)

 

And earlier contracts appear to be:

V3829 (835 serials early 1940 onwards)

V3941 (835 serials early 1941 onwards)

V4856 (845 serials late 1941 onwards)

 

According to Alexs fine list of Humber serial numbers 8650528 is a contract S7122 vehicle with a contract date of 20th July 1944 and delivery there after?

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Thank you Nick. Great to see these numbers. I would like to get a copy of Alec list, have emailed him so hopefully soon.

 

Mine is definitely 8650513. What is the narrow plate on the passenger side of the dash? It's quite corroded and can't be read as yet. Is it brass? If so should be able to clean it up. I do have the body number but cannot recall it whilst I write this .

 

Anybody got any drawings for the sliding roof? Mine has been taken out and replaced with flat sheet.

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Hi Andrew

the brass plate s the contract plate, there is a body number stamped in to the timber below the back seats.

 

here's a pic of the sliding hatch, we can sort out some drawings when you are ready for them

 

regards

nick

 

IMG_1470.jpg

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Hi Andrew

the brass plate s the contract plate, there is a body number stamped in to the timber below the back seats.

 

here's a pic of the sliding hatch, we can sort out some drawings when you are ready for them

 

regards

nick

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]95229[/ATTACH]

 

Thanks chaps. The oblong plate is in fact instructions for left and right hand threads on the axles. Nick if you are making new sliding roof sections maybe we could double up on that?

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  • 2 years later...

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